By Cameron Blackshaw
Nearly £360,000 will be given to a doctors’ surgery in a bid to increase its clinical capacity and reduce waiting times for appointments.
Bexley Council has confirmed it will give a grant to Crayford Town Surgery to implement work which will see the creation of two new clinic rooms.
The money was gathered from unallocated Section 106 (S106) contributions from the redevelopment of the former Electrobase site in Crayford, near Dartford.
S106 agreements between developers and local authorities are used to mitigate the negative impacts of a new development on the local community.
A total of 559 new homes will be built as part of the redevelopment of the brownfield site, on land surrounding the now closed Crayford dog track, near Dartford.
The grant of £359,196 aims to offset some of the increased pressure on local infrastructure it will cause, in particular the impact on health services.
Bexley Council was approached by the NHS South East London ICB (integrated care board) with a request for the money to “enable them to develop and implement a scheme to increase clinical capacity at the surgery in partnership with the practice” following confirmation that the residential development would be going ahead.
The ICB considers the S106 funds will cover the entire project which aims to increase patient capacity “through reconfiguration” and through the constitution of two new clinic rooms.
It has welcomed the cash injection for the surgery.
A Bexley spokesperson for the South East London ICB said: “Investment received because of the Electrobase residential development Section 106 contributions, will allow Crayford Town Surgery to reconfigure and refurbish its current site.
“This will include two additional consulting rooms and a hot-desking room, for primary care colleagues from the wider neighbourhood team, to provide more joined-up care to patients.
“This investment will enable the surgery to increase its clinical capacity (GPs and multi-professional clinicians) and meet the health and care needs of the new population moving into the Electrobase residential development.
“NHS South East London Integrated Care Board has worked in partnership with the London Borough of Bexley and is supportive of this investment.”
